Drummond learned jazz from an early age from his father, who was a drummer and a jazz enthusiast and whose record collection included many recordings of Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Buddy Rich and Elvin Jones. He played in bands from age eight and studied at Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music.
He moved to New York at the behest of Al Foster in 1986 and shortly thereafter joined the Blue Note band, Out of the Blue, with whom he recorded their last album. He joined the Horace Silver sextet, with whom he toured extensively, before joining Sonny Rollins, with whom he toured for three years. He is a long-time member of Carla Bley's Lost Chords Quartet, Sheila Jordan's Quartet, and the Steve Kuhn Trio. He also leads a New York-based band called Freedom of Ideas. In addition to touring he is Professor of Jazz Drums at the Juilliard School and New York University.
A sideman on over 300 records, Drummond has played and recorded with Nat Adderley, Ralph Moore (1989 and subsequently), Buster Williams (1990–93), Charles Tolliver (1991), Lew Tabackin and Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones (1991), James Moody (early 1990s), Sonny Rollins, Andy LaVerne (1994), Lee Konitz (1995), Dave Stryker (1996), George Colligan (1997), Ted Rosenthal, Bruce Barth, Andrew Hill (from 1997–2000), Larry Willis (2006 to the present), Toots Thielmans, Freddie Hubbard (mid-1990s), Chris Potter, Eddie Gómez, Stanley Cowell, Javon Jackson, and Sheila Jordan (1990s to present). Influences include Tony Williams, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Al Foster, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart.
Together with his wife, pianist Renee Rosnes, Drummond has been a resident of West Orange, New Jersey.
Dan rufolo quartet featuring billy drummond mantis
As leader
1991 Native Colours (Criss Cross)
1993 The Gift (Criss Cross)
1995 Dubai (Criss Cross)
As co-leader
2003 Pas de Trois The Drummonds
2006 Mysterious Shorter Nicholas Payton/Bob Belden/Sam Yahel/Billy Drummond/John Hart
2006 Once Upon a Time The Drummonds
2006 Letter to Evans The Drummonds
2006 Beautiful Friendship The Drummonds
2016 Three's Company Ron Carter/Javon Jackson/Billy Drummond
As band member with OTB
1989 Spiral Staircase Out of the Blue
with Nat Adderley
The Old Country (Alfa, 1990)
with Carla Bley
2003 Looking for America
2004 The Lost Chords
2007 The Lost Chords find Paolo Fresu
2008 Appearing Nightly
As band member with Steve Kuhn
1997 Dedication
1998 Countdown
2000 The Best Things
2001 Temptation
2002 Waltz – Red Side
2002 Waltz – Blue Side
2004 Easy to Love
2007 Pastorale
2007 Baubles, Bangles and Beads
2007 Pavanne for a Dead Princess
2010 I Will Wait for You
As sideman
Old Country (1990) with Nat Adderley
Sam I Am (1990) with Sam Newsome
In New York (1990) with Tomas Franck
For the Moment (1990 with Renee Rosnes
Hornucopia (1991) with Jon Faddis
John Swana and Friends (1991) with John Swana
Mirage (1991) with Bobby Hutcherson
Better Times (1992) with Rob Bargad
The Charmer (1992) with Charles Fambrough
Epistrophy (1992) with Bill Pierce
Simplicity (1992) with Walt Weiskopf
Dawnbird (1993) with Vincent Herring
Secret Love (1993) with Vincent Herring
Blue Note Years (1993) with Joe Henderson
Feeling's Mutual (1993) with John Swana
Scheme of Things (1993) with Scott Wendholt
In from the Cold (1994, Criss Cross) with Jonny King
Days of Wine and Roses (1994) with Vincent Herring
Dearly Beloved (SteepleChase, 1996) with Lee Konitz
Notes from the Underground (1996, Enja) with Jonny King
Bluesology with George Cables (SteepleChase, 1997)
Out of Nowhere with Lee Konitz and Paul Bley (SteepleChase, 1997)
RichLee! with Lee Konitz and Rich Perry (SteepleChase, 1997)
True Blue (1998) with Archie Shepp
Vertigo (1998) with Chris Potter
Universal Spirits (1998) with Tim Ries
Dusk (1999) with Andrew Hill
Duke's Place (1999) with George Mraz
Everything I Need (1999) with Carol Fredette
Out of the Dark (1999) with Andy Fusco
Pleasant Valley (1999) with Javon Jackson
Reemergence (1999) with Eddie Henderson
Remembrance (1999) with Sadao Watanabe
Rendezvous (1999) with Jerome Harris
Search (1999) with Joel Weiskopf
Sound of Love (1999) with Tommy Smith
Navigator (2000) with Joel Frahm
Ask Me Now (2000) with Michael Urbaniak
Siren (2000) with Walt Weiskopf
Steal the Moon (2000) with Carolyn Leonhart
Two Tenor Ballads (2000) with Mark Turner and Tadd Shull
What Goes Unsaid (2000) with Scott Wendholt
Oasis (2001) with Eddie Henderson
Song (2001) with Marty Ehrlich
Workin' Out (2001) with John Campbell
Cedars of Avalon (2001) with Larry Coryell
Alternate Side (2001) with Tim Ries
Deja Vu (2001) with Archie Shepp
Waltz for Debbie (2002) with David Hazeltine
Wurd on the Skreet (2002) with Donald Brown
Line on Love (2003) with Marty Ehrlich
Little Song (2003) with Sheila Jordan
Strings (2003) with Jim Snidero
French Ballads (2003) with Archie Shepp
Deja Vu (2003) with Archie Shepp
The Lost Chords (2003) with Carla Bley
Dream Dancing (2004) with Steve Kuhn
Close Up (2004) with Jim Snidero
Tea for Two (2004) with Walt Weiskopf/Andy Fusco Quartet
Sight to Sound (2004) with Walt Weiskopf
Winter Sonata (2004) with Gary Versace
Cleopatra's Dream (2006) David Hazeltine
Manhattan (2006) David Hazeltine/George Mraz Trio
Pastorale (2007) with Steve Kuhn
Baubles, Bangles and Beads (2007) with Steve Kuhn
Pavanne for a Dead Princess (2007) with Steve Kuhn
The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu (2007) with Carla Bley
New Conversations (2007) with Carla Bley
Blue Fable (2007) with Larry Willis
Nights of Key Largo (2008) with Tessa Souter
Moon River (2008) with Nicki Parrott
Offering (2008) with Larry Willis
Once Upon a Melody (2008) with Javon Jackson
Beautiful Love: The NYC Session (2008) with Al Di Meola, Eddie Gómez, Yujata Kobaya
Appearing Nightly (2008) with Carla Bley
Art of Organizing (2009) with Dr. Lonnie Smith
Chick Corea Songbook (2009) with The Manhattan Transfer
Mutual Admiration Society (2009) with Joe Locke/David Hazeltine
New Moon (2009) with Ron McLure
Mays at the Movies (2009) with Bill Mays
Crossfire (2009) with Jim Snidero
One Night at the Kitano (2009) with Jed Levy
Fly Me to the Moon (2009) with Nicki Parrott
Mays at the Movies (2009) with Bill Mays
The Decider (2009) with Peter Zak
All My Friends are Here (2010) with Arif Mardin compilation
I Will Wait for You (2010) with Steve Kuhn
Invitation (2010) with Beat Kaestli
Cedar Chest (2010) The Music of Cedar Walton compilation
For All We Know (2010) with Eddie Henderson
New York Encounter (2010) with Yakov Okun Trio
Steeplechase Jam Session Volume 29 (2010) Andy Laverne
Steeplechase Jam Session Volume 30 (2010) Don Braden
Dedication (2010) with Ron McClure
Live at Smalls (2011) with Tim Ries
Live at Smalls (2011) with Jesse Davis
Beyond the Blue (2012) with Tessa Souter
Home Tone (2012) with Tony Lakatos
Nordic Noon (2012) with Peter Zak
Jazz in the New Harmonic (2013) with David Chesky
The Eternal Triangle (2013) with Peter Zak
Homeland (2014) with Vincent Hsu
Are You Real (2014) with Stanley Cowell
Leap of Faith (2015) with Burak Bedikyan
Primal Scream (2015) with David Chesky
Rambling Confessions (2015) with John Hebert
Sing to the Sky (2015) with Emma Larsson
Tales, Musings, and Other Reveries (2015) with Jeremy Pelt
Reminiscent (2015) with Stanley Cowell
Standards (2016) with Peter Zak
En Rouge (2016) with Atlantico (Dave Schroeder/Sebastien Paindestre)
